 "Photo: photo courtesy of ACC Public Information and College Marketing")
After 34 years at the college, ACC President and CEO Stephen Kinslow announced his retirement over the summer. This month, Austin Community College's board of trustees will begin the search to find a new president to replace Kinslow.
The board will select a group of 20-25 ACC faculty members, students and community members to assemble a search advisory committee.
The board hosted an open meeting on Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. at the Highland Business Center to review and edit the detailed list of duties and responsibilities the new president must abide by. These have been compiled by the board and the American Association of Community Colleges.
"The policies revolve around five basic aspects: leadership, management, accountability, community partnership and fiscal responsibility," said board of trustee chair Dr. Barbara Mink.
The board recently hired Gold Hill Associates, a search consulting firm, to assist in the ten-month process of selecting a new president. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, the 20-year-old firm focuses entirely on administering presidential searches for community colleges all over the nation.
"Gold Hill Associates has long-term experience in senior leadership roles for community colleges. They are very well-respected in our field and have a proven track record of successful searches," said Mink.
Gold Hill's maximum estimated consultant fee is roughly $41,000 and includes recruiting, screening and reference-checking for prospective candidates, along with visits to various institutions and host expenses.
"We recognize that our job is to assist. We try to learn about as much of the college as we can and make adjustments in our procedure that accommodate the needs of the Board and the college," said President of Gold Hill Associates Dr. Bob Barringer.
For the rest of the year, and possibly until January, the board and the firm will work in conjunction to finalize outreach materials and produce advertisements for various community college publications and higher education chronicles.
In the spring, applications will be reviewed, interviews will be conducted, and the list of prospective candidates will be narrowed down.
"Because of ACC's success, we are expecting a very large pool of candidates," said Mink.
By June, the board hopes to make an offer to the appropriate candidate and announce the start date of the new president.
In a June, 7 memo Kinslow said, "it has been a rewarding thirty-four year career at ACC."
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